What with nationwide records of 25 Swallow, Sand Martins, House Martin, Red-rumped Swallow, Great Spotted Cuckoo and Little Ringed Plover (at the London wetland centre) over the last week and with the barmy February weather continuing this might not actually be a false start to Spring after all and if conditions remain mild, this could be it.
Today at the farmlands's we had our first Red Admirals and Small Tortoiseshell and some signs of migration were provided in the form of 3 Siskin going South/Southeast, 2 high Cormorants, a few overhead Lesser Black-backed Gulls and more incoming birds (potential breeders) included 2 Greylags and an extra 2 Shelduck. The Great Crested Grebe was still with us and wintering duck numbers are still good with 100+ Teal, 3 Wigeon and good numbers of Shoveler, Gadwall, Pochard and Tufted Duck. 20 Lapwing and 2 Green Sandpiper also.
Other signs of Spring included more birds in territorial song and nest material gathering. The Colt's Foot is out, Willow catkins are bursting and the Cherry Plums are in blossom. Elsewhere there were solitary bees and hairy-footed Bees on a Mahonia in Hackbridge and the Lesser Celendine is flowering on the verges and things are also firing up in the moth trap.
Long-tailed Tit gathering nesting material
Chiffchaff on Mile Road Bridge (also a singing male Blackcap there last weekend)
Spring Usher
Twin-spotted Quaker
Tortricodes alternella- a local scarcity
Mompha subbistrigella
Left to right : Common Quaker, Satellite and March moth
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